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13 - 16 February 2024 // Nürnberg, Germany
BIOFACH Newsroom
Tempehmanufaktur: Tempeh – the nutritious alternative to tofu
Young innovative companies pavilion
Vegan products are making their way towards new dimensions. They have left the path to the mainstream niche and are gaining new customers every day –
and consumers are ready for new product concepts and flavours.
Tempeh gets its interesting appearance from fermentation. Soya beans or other pulses are fermented whole, with an edible mould being used to mature the Tempeh and give it a firm texture. As the whole pulse is used, Tempeh is an excellent source of protein and contains an abundance of other valuable substances such as vitamins, fibre, macroelements and trace elements. Tempeh originally comes from Indonesia and is a key component of the diet there. Markus Schnappinger brought some back to the Allgäu from a trip years ago and began producing it himself along with his wife, Stephanie. To the founders of Tempehmanufaktur, which is based in Markt Rettenbach in the Allgäu, Tempeh is more than a business idea: They said, “It is a passion and the belief that you can have success with a good a product.”
The Tempeh specialists make their product by hand and use as many locally sourced raw materials as possible. For example, the soya beans are grown in Germany and Austria, while the sweet lupins are from Germany as well. The conscious decision to make their product by hand instead of using industrial production processes is an important pillar in the concept for Markus and Stephanie Schnappinger.
A pan-ready source of protein, the nutritious alternative to tofu is ideal for vegetarians and vegans. “Tempeh’s mild and nutty flavour means it offers health-conscious ‘normal eaters’ a culinary addition to their menu too, however,” said Mr Schnappinger. Thanks to seasoning marinades they have developed themselves from natural herbs and spices, the entrepreneurs have now turned Tempeh into a pan-ready dish that can be prepared in minutes and have added variety to their product range at the same time. Tempeh can be deep-fried, fried, boiled, steamed or baked, and is therefore suitable for all sorts of dishes.
Tempehmanufaktur (www.tempehmanufaktur.net) will be one of the exhibitors in the Pavilion for Young Innovative Companies. This pavilion is being supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and is aimed at newcomers and start-ups based in Germany. 20 companies altogether will be presenting products there in hall 9 at BIOFACH, the World’s Leading Trade Fair for Organic Food (www.biofach.de), which takes place from 14 to 17 February 2018.